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Massive winter storm expected to bury much of US in snow and ice

January 22, 2026

A severe Arctic cold front is forecast to affect approximately 160 million Americans across nearly 30 states starting Friday, bringing dangerous temperatures and significant snowfall as it moves eastward from the Rocky Mountains. The National Weather Service warns that wind chills could drop below minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the Northern Plains, creating life-threatening conditions for frostbite and hypothermia. The storm system is predicted to dump over a foot of snow in some urban areas while bringing freezing rain to southern states, potentially causing widespread power outages and transportation disruptions.

Who is affected

  • Nearly 160 million people across approximately 30 US states
  • Residents of the High Plains, Rockies, Texas, New Mexico, Memphis, Nashville, Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York
  • Airport authorities and travelers in several major cities
  • Residents in areas downwind of the Great Lakes
  • Southern state residents vulnerable to power outages
  • Texas residents (with specific memories of the 2021 winter storm)
  • Eastern and Atlantic regions of Canada

What action is being taken

  • The National Weather Service is issuing warnings about life-threatening cold air
  • US transportation officials and airport authorities are warning travelers about significant disruptions
  • Governors in Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina have declared states of emergency
  • National Guard troops and emergency officials are mobilizing response efforts

Why it matters

  • This storm poses life-threatening risks through extreme wind chills that can cause hypothermia and frostbite, with temperatures potentially dropping below minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas. The event is particularly significant for southern states like Texas, which have limited de-icing equipment and experienced catastrophic infrastructure failures during a similar 2021 storm that left millions without power. The combination of heavy snow, freezing rain, potential power outages from ice-laden trees, frozen pipes, and hazardous travel conditions affecting 160 million people represents a major threat to public safety and critical infrastructure across a vast geographic area.

What's next

  • Cold temperatures are expected to persist into next week
  • The weather system is expected to take shape in Texas and New Mexico before moving eastward
  • Some places are expected to see over 12 inches of snowfall (though exact totals remain uncertain)

Read full article from source: BBC

Massive winter storm expected to bury much of US in snow and ice